Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1885-1890, 1887-02-05
SATURDAY. R 5, 1887.
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Frons Oar Regular Correspondent.

WARRINGTON, Jan. %, 1887.
Congress began the week with some
sweeping pension legislation. Its atten-
ton wa then turned to matters OF local
interest, appropriation bills, miscellaneous
business, and the discussion aof the bill
for establishing agricultrrl experiment
stations. It became stirred for. a day over
the question of investigating the manage
ment of the pacific railroads. and the
house finally settled down to deliberate
over the interstate commerce bill, which
the Senate passed last week:
When the President sent special mes
sage to ,cengress asking thaz suitable action
be taken for celebrating the centennial OF
the adoption of the constitution OF the
United States, he was careful not to com
NIT himself to any special time or ocaEty
He chopped that in . spirit of patriotic CO.
operation, rather than of local competition
congress weuld proceed, ETC." But the
committee, ST sexen senator's, who had the
audacity o >declare that Washington was
the suitable place for holding this celebra-
ton. have come in for a large share OF
criticism from rival cities.
Washin gton is the only eityswhere every
American is at home, and in which ne
feels the pride of an American citizens
ownership. and the exposition will be
given to Washington without asdoubt. It
will last from ,sas to '92. There need not
be a continuous rush, racket and carnival
for three years, as there would be over a
public affair of this kind in a great com
mercial mart. Washington is net that
kind of a city. 1t c%ultivates tranquility OF
department, and has sufficient breathing
space to enjoy everything in a quiet way.
1t is used to crowds and gatheringstof all
kinds. as indeed it ought, to be, for SIX
national conventions are being held here
during the present week.
Some members of Congress have said
that the principal object of the government
in the Pacific railroad matter, was to get
what was owing to it. OF course it is de-
sirable to save $2OO,000,000, n as much
of it as can be recovered, from those who
have no right to it, but a number OF men
in both branches of congress feel that the
main thing to be attained is the moral eff
feet of rebuking corruption. The govern
ment can afford to lose the money, but 1T
cannot afford to agree to a theft, it such
there has been. The desire to investigate
the management ofthe Pacific railroads is
not, therefore, born of a spirit of persecu-
ton; it is simply the duty of congress to
go to the bottom of this matter.
Although the senate voted to pension the
widow of Senator Logan at $4,000 a year
the bill. has come to grief in the house
committee on pensions. 1t is claimed that
to pension Mrs. Logan would cost the gov
eminent eventually half a million by en-
~couraging every widow whose husband
had ever. been in the army. But it appears
that the fund provided for Mrs. Logan by
the friends and admirers of her husband
has now reached $4,000, with a prospect
Of risg to 100000, and this will obviate all
necessity of straining pension precedents
so as to provide for her by act Of Con
gress. The citizens of Chicago have also
contributed $4,000 for the payment of
encumbrances upon the home of Mrs.
Loganin this city. The notes have all
been paid off in the past few days, and
Mrs. Logan now owns the house known as
Calumet Place in her own right.
The bill passed by the honse pensioning
dependent soldiers and sailors, who were
not disabled in the service, but who are
now too old and too feeble to work, and
also pensioning the dependent parents OF
soldiers and sailors, has frightened those
who are opposed to %pensioning everybody
who ever had anything to do with a wal
They fear Congress will next undertake to
pension lifelong non-eombatants who have
incurred physical or mental disability in
writing war articles for the papers and
magazines. The above mentioned bill APP